Plan Your Career

Early Life Choices / Preparation

Many applicants for law enforcement positions are unsuccessful due to
problems which occurred earlier in their lives.The desire to change negative decisions that affect a chance at a law
enforcement career is common. All police
employees are held to the highest standards of professional conduct, which is
essential to maintaining the trust of the community they serve. Below is a
partial list of areas to consider, as they are crucial to your success:

DON’T DO DRUGS; OR IF YOU DO, STOP NOW!Most agencies do allow for some high school experimentation.

DON’T LET ALCOHOL USE CREEP UP ON YOU! Alcohol is a drug, which leads to a
whole host of disqualifying areas; fighting, DUI’s, poor health.

PROTECT YOUR DRIVING PRIVILEGE! Agencies look at the number
of tickets you have received, vehicle accidents and license suspensions. Also
disqualifying is failure to carry proper insurance.

MAKE FITNESS A WAY OF LIFE! Law
enforcement is a strenuous job in which your safety can depend upon your being
physically fit.

PAY YOUR BILLS! Agencies regard how you handle your finances
as a way to determine your level of responsibility and maturity.

HONESTY IS ITS OWN REWARD!Sure, it’s an old fashioned phrase, but many candidates are
eliminated for stealing or lying. If a person is not honest, he/she has no
business being a police officer.

SHARPEN YOUR WRITING SKILLS!People underestimate how important writing is to a police officer. Many
candidates are screened out for poor grammar, punctuation, spelling, etc.

YOUR JOB HISTORY IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT! No matter what job you have, make a good
impression on your employer; it will pay off dividends when background
investigations are conducted. AVOID TERMINATIONS!

STRENGTHEN YOUR SELF-ESTEEM! We need officers who are assertive, self confident, outgoing, personable
and interact well with all persons. These factors are directly related to your
self-esteem.

SET YOUR VALUES AND BE TRUE TO THEM!Peer pressure is a very powerful force, but the real test for a
person is the ability to be true to his/her self.